LAS CRUCES - This fall, New Mexico State University’s Criminal Justice Mentoring Center is providing students access to U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency recruiters to get information on how to become a future Border Patrol agent or border protection officer.

The Criminal Justice Mentoring Center is part of NMSU’s Criminal Justice Department in the College of Arts and Sciences. The department is parting with CBP once a week on campus. CBP recruiters are providing information on the application process, job requirements, resume writing tips and more.

According to a press release from NMSU, the collaboration is the first of its kind for the agency.

“We come to this office once a week to talk to students about potential careers in U.S. Customs and Border Protection,” CBP officer Adriana Caranza said. “We’re looking to hire border patrol agents and customs and border protection officers. We started this semester. It’s the first mentoring center of its kind here at NMSU.”

Caranza is an NMSU criminal justice alumna and has been a recruiter for CBP for six years.

“We’re responsible for El Paso and all of the New Mexico regions,” Caranza said. “We will go to career fairs throughout the state, whether its universities, private or something sponsored by the cities.”

Dennis Giever, professor and NMSU Criminal Justice Department head, said there are 650 undergraduate students and about 55 graduate students in the Criminal Justice Department.

“We advertise to what we consider similar programs — sociology, psychology and anyone who has an interest in federal law enforcement. You can come and talk to folks that are in the federal system and talk about federal careers,” Giever said. “As a mentoring center, the idea is to start mentoring freshmen that have no idea what they want to do.”

CBP spokesman Roger Maier said recruiters will help anyone interested in joining the agency, including non-students.

“We’re a nationwide agency. There’s opportunities to move around. We have over 60,000 employees and we’re always looking to hire,” Maier said. “There are vacancies always available all over the place and our recruiters walk through the process with them and really streamlines it.”

CBP Border Patrol Agent Kenneth Reza and Caranza invite all majors to stop by Breland Hall and get more information.

“We also have a lot of agents that are graduates from NMSU, our chief is a graduate from NMSU,” Reza said.

Recruiting schedule

CBP recruiters will be available on campus once a week at Breland Hall in the Criminal Justice wing, Room 127.

Tuesday, Sept. 25: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 3: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 9: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 17: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 23: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

To apply online visit www.cpb.gov/careers For more information on CBP visit www.cbp.gov

Jacqueline Devine can be reached at 575-541-5476, JDevine@lcsun-news.com or @JackieIsDevine on Twitter.